Granatstein, J. L. Canada's Army. Waging War and Keeping the Peace. Second Edition

The first edition of "Canada's Army" quickly became the definitive history of the Canadian army. The intervening years, though, have seen major changes to how Canadians think about their military, especially in the context of the Afghan War and increased federal funding for the Canadian Forces. In the second edition of "Canada's Army", J. L. Granatstein - one of the country's leading historians - updated his work with fresh material on the evolving role of the military in Canadian society, along with updated sources and illustrations. The 2011 edition has been reissued this year as part of "The Canada 150 Collection". "Canada's Army" traces the full three-hundred year history of the Canadian military from its origins in New France to the Conquest, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812; from South Africa and the two World Wars to the Korean War and contemporary peacekeeping efforts, and the War in Afghanistan. Granatstein points to the inevitable continuation of armed conflict around the world and makes a compelling case for Canada to maintain properly equipped and professional armed forces. "Canada's Army" offers a rich analysis of the political context for the battles and events that shaped our understanding of the nation's military. Masterfully written and passionately argued, this book has been lauded as "belong[ing] on all concerned citizens" bookshelves.